Level 12 - The Cursed Crypt

Quest Giver: Sir Pythius the Radiant in the Necropolis
Level: 12 Party
Patron: The Silver Flame (7/14/21)
Length: very long
Entry Point: northern crypt in the necropolis, central entrance
Prereqs: Must have completed all four of the northern Crypt quests: unhallowed, blighted, tormented and forbidden
Recommended Party: standard, caster with jump is handy, minimum of three people for levers.
Base Experience: 6,819
Quest Info:
--Creatures: Thralls of the vampire, blackbone guard, skeletons, wraiths
--Traps: falling floors, grease and spike, force

Walkthrough:

First off, this quest is timed, you have 60 minutes to complete from the time you step in, so be sure everyone steps in together. Second off, be sure everyone has their silver flame or emerald claw necklace or trinket before they hop in.

Another note, before you start. If you avoid killing any of the silver flame agents, speak to the captain at the end to get an extra chest. Flesh to stone is great crowd control against the Silver Flame Agents, as they are immune to mind affecting spells.

Move in and clear out the large entry hall. Head west first. You will get to a closed gate, and a spectre will pop up out of the floor, telling you it is going to help you. Two ghosties fly slowly off, follow the west one first. It will open the gate up the hall to head further in. (The other ghost will be doing the same on the east side of the crypt.) Clear out the halls on this side, until you reach a large room full of small cells. The map is not symmetrical, but the concept is basically the same on the other side. Both sides also have shrines. Your job is to look through the cells for a chest with a key in it. You will not be able to see the chest without opening the door. There is also a loot chest, which you can con from outside, in one of the cells. In some of the cells are prisoners being tortures, who you can free. In other cells are badguys, who you can kill. In a few cells are silver flame guys who have been mentally enslaved. Be careful not to kill them. They are immune to mind affecting abilities and spells, though web will slow them down. Once you find the key, head back to where you first met the ghost. You can now go into the closed gate there, and free all the ghosts.

Your two ghost buddies are sticking around, though. Travel back both west, then east. At the end of each hall you will find you ghost, who will teleport (walk into the ghost) you through the gate, to an image of Mendetto the Vampire. The vampire is standing on an altar with silver flame adherants grovelling at his feet. The job is to kill the vampire without killing the silver flame guys. If you can get to him and encircle him right off the bat, it helps to begin the battle well. The silver flame guys will be curing him, casting cometfall on you, and trying to beat you up. Direct damage spells like magic missiles work well, since they cant hit the silver flame guys. Firewall is very bad. Once you drop him on one side, head to the other side and repeat the process. This will open up the way forward from the first main chamber, up to the second level.

The ramp up is trapped, be prepared. Clear out the top area, you will see a blocked way down with three lit skulls. In order to unlight the skulls you must head up the ramps. There are 3 chambers and an optional chest on the top level. The hallways to the far side chambers, and the hall with the chest, will have points that fall out. It is possible to prevent the falling of the floors by disarming them. There is a trapbox for each. The whole floor in front of the chest will fall out, once again, avoidable by disarming it. It is time consuming to try to get over to it. If you fall, you will cost into a small holding cell. Defeat the minions or survive long enough and the floor will fall out again to the halls below where the shrines are.

Once you make it to the side chambers, you will see a catwalk going over a glowing green floor. You will fall through the green, even though the skeletons don't. The catwalks have force traps, so be careful. The two side tunnels are slightly different than the center. You must get to the end of the rampway, defeat the brimstone skeleton, and hit the altar. In the centerish route, you have two levers. The levers must be pulled at the same time to lower the gate with the altar and the warden. The gate will close shortly after opening. Pull the guardian out first, dispatch him, then open it again to hit the altar. Once all three altars are lit, the way down is open. There is also a new shrine that appears next to the path down.

Down into the last chamber, where the vampire awaits with four more of his devout silver flame followers. Note: Update after Mod 5 included a change where once you engage the vampire below, the path will seal behind you. This version of the vamp is meaner than his two aspects. Otherwise, just beat him up the way you did upstairs. Up to you. After defeating him, grab the book off the altar before time runs out. This stops the timer and then you can use the altar to upgrade your necklaces. Also, a small room opens up in the back with a shrine. If you were good, and didn't kill any Silver Flame folk, talk to the Commander in the room here, and he will give you a bonus chest. It will do a single upgrade, no matter what stage you are currently at, to a maximum of the third upgrade. (The fourth is after defeating the Black Abbot in the Ascension Chamber).

Thanks to Vorn of the DDO forums for some nice info about traps and the bonus chest.

Another nice walkthrough is available here. It includes a map.

End Reward: standard loot choice, upgrade your silver flame or emerald claw pendant at end of quest inside. Up to the third upgrade.